Easter Linking

If you came over to read stuff, you’re going to be disappointed. Even I have something better to do on Easter then to write for you.

But fear not: Others wrote stuff worthy of your attention:

  1. Wired shows you how to create your own combat bot. Ground, aerial and submerged bots for you to build – for just some 100s or 100s of $. It’s a wiki, so you can help. I wonder when homeland security takes down that site. Terrorists might use the cheap combat bots… :) (Am I the only one who thinks that “Homeland security” sounds deliciously fascist?
  2. Contact lenses that can do some stuff we thought cybereyes would needed for, esp. a HUD (head up display, showing you images superimposed over your view – today used by fighter pilots)
  3. A Cyberpunk documentary from 1993. Look how William Gibson looked like 14 years ago:
The young William Gibson, ca 1993
Click for bigger size

The Armys robot mule: Amazing Robot Tech

Nils sandte mir aber dieses Video zu:

[youtube b2bExqhhWRI]

Danke, Nils!

@Nils: Wäre nett, wenn du und ich bald mal wieder zusammen zocken könnten. Und: Sag mal, hast du noch die buildnotes zu unserem Hovercraft? Und das Bild? Bald ist ja Nordcon

Killer Robots

I guess the next time my PCs are going to infiltrate some corp compound, they will meet this little enemy:

Killer Robots will kill you

I’m at a loss to stat this thing. Speed maybe 20 km/h? Would that gun be a 7.62? Looks like it carries at least a 100 rounds. I would give it a 10+d10 to attack and 7+d10 for Initiative. Remotely controlled it would gain the skill of the operator. A netrunner could hijack it, if the right controller program is available.

Robot Tank guided by an Xbox 360

DARPA (who accidently invented the internet) has spend millions to create autonomous vehicles. Their newest toy is the crusher:

Crusher Robot Vehicle
Carnegie Mellon University/National Robotics Engineering Center

Itf weighs nearly 7 tons, has a top speed of about 25 mph (its engine is a diesel from a VW Jetta!) and is designed to be totally autonomous, but can be operated remotely if necessary, foxnews.com writes.

It can go from one point to another useing its GPS sensors and internal maps to plot out a route. Only obstacles over six feet tall or deep force it to detour. With a camera it can spot troops 4 kilometers away.

[Otherwise, its a nerds dream. You] “drive” it with controllers for racing video games. A hacked Apple iPhone gives remote updates of the Crusher’s internal diagnostics. And a standard Xbox 360 controller raises the mast antenna, rotates the cameras and, given the situation, fires the weapons.

Good job news for xbox gamers, I would say.

Have a look at the vids.